Worry-Free Money by Shannon Lee Simmons

  • Twitter summary: Learn how to happily spend your money, guilt-free. Seriously.
  • The good: I love the way Shannon simply breaks down financial planning concepts with practical examples. Her formula is fool proof and extremely easy to apply to my own life. Yes, there is a bit of hard work to truly identify your emotional return on investment on expenses but it is well worth it. I finally have a financial plan that I can commit to without any worries. Gone are my days of “I’ll just stop buying clothes for a month to save $x” or “I’ll just stop dining out for a few weeks to get back on track” — those were not sustainable plans. I’m thrilled that I have actual short-term savings goals and a decent amount of spending money for whatever I want!
  • The bad: I wish I discovered Shannon and her book earlier.
  • Recommendation: Do you ever worry (and insert every possible other emotion) about money? If yes, please read and apply this book!
  • Overall rating: 5/5 worry-free financial wins
  • Goodreads link

I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

  • Twitter summary: “Our only chance at dismantling racial injustice is being more curious about its origins than we are worried about our comfort.”
  • Why you must read it: Read to learn so you can start to take appropriate action for our collective community and our race as human beings. Have the uncomfortable conversations with yourself, your inner circle of trusted family and friends and your neighbours. Learn from one another. I am making this pledge today.
  • What I learned: Do not put this burden on our Black friends and community. Learn, put in the work and ask yourself: “what am I going to do about it?”
  • Overall rating: 5/5 honest truths
  • Goodreads link

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

  • Twitter summary: A futuristic twist on Cinderella with a teenaged cyborg who learns her true identity and must save Earth from the evil Queen from Luna.
  • The good: I love fairy tales and could live happily in a fantasy world. So when I heard about this book (well aware that I am late to the party), I had to read it! Meyer writes a futuristic Cinderella tale with a dashing young Emperor, a faithful Android, a mysterious doctor, and a step family that is not surprising yet surprising (oh, my heart goes to Peony) at the same time. My overly imaginative mind was immediately skeptical of a number of characters but I’m glad I was proven wrong.
  • The bad: I kept waiting and waiting to be swept away… Also, what happened to Iko?! I need to know, please!
  • Recommendation: Although the book did not capture my attention as much as I hoped, I am curious enough about the rest of The Lunar Chronicles.
  • Overall rating: 3/5 silk gloves
  • Goodreads link

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

  • Quote summary (I’ve decided to change this first bullet from Twitter summary to Quote summary since I love a good quote!): “I told you when you started to believe in yourself, you’d be unstoppable.”
  • The good: I felt love, hope, happiness, annoyance, sadness, anger and probably a dozen other emotions as I devoured this book on a lazy Sunday morning. I related to Laurie — I’ve been in a similar long-term (but not 18 years) that ended abruptly as well. Although there was no Jamie Carter for me to pretend to be in a relationship but ultimately fall in love with at the end, my heart was bursting love for Laurie! She straightens up all the significant relationships in her life and I could not be any happier for her. McFarlane artfully writes about current societal topics in a timeless manner.
  • The bad: A bit lengthy for the plot line as I did find a few less pivotal parts to drag.
  • Recommendation: Yes. I am going to check out McFarlane’s other books.
  • Overall rating: 4/5 forced elevator lift conversations
  • Goodreads link

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

  • Twitter summary: “Bearing false witness was not the exception, it was common. Beneath its outer show of virtue and purity, Gilead was rotting.”
  • The good: I enjoyed how the book did not have the heaviness or the doom and gloom of The Handmaid’s Tale and for this reason, I quickly devoured it. Most importantly, I felt redemption for Aunt Lydia — what a character living in duality.
  • The bad: When I first read The Handmaid’s Tale, I wanted a sequel but now, I don’t think it was necessary. I am happy with how The Handmaid’s Tale ended and reading The Testaments didn’t provide me with any additional satisfaction.
  • Recommendation: If you read the first book and want to dive into this world again, sure.
  • Overall rating: 3/5 great escapes
  • Goodreads link

The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal

  • Twitter summary: “She watched helplessly as Jezmeen continued hollering and banging on the door. Manjinder scrambled to her feet to try to pull Jezmeen away, but it was too late. The door opened and out came Shirina, her eyes wide with surprise. When she collapsed into Jezmeen’s arms, Rajni burst into tears.”
  • The good: Although the premise is predictable, I enjoyed the colourful details in this wonderfully told story by Jaswal. The book touches upon various female relationships (between sisters, mothers, friends, in-laws) as well as differences in traditional and modern expectations. I loved how all the plot lines tied together in the end.
  • The bad: It was difficult to read the blind acceptance of traditional values and expectations put on women to carry.
  • Favourite sister: This is difficult because I don’t have a clear favourite. However, since I am forcing myself to pick — Shirina. I sympathized with her story the most and felt her genuine relief when Rajni and Jezmeen arrived.
  • Recommendation: Yes
  • Overall rating: 4/5 sister relationships
  • Goodreads link

Limitless by Jim Kwik

  • Twitter summary: The hero’s journey translated to learning principles so you learn how to learn for a limitless brain.
  • The good: When was the last time you ever improved your learning skills? In elementary school when you were 8? If that was your answer, I strongly urge you to read and apply this book. Each chapter is tailored with easy-to-follow tips and tricks using various acronyms, references to master teachers for further learning and directed pre- and post-reading questions to do what you just read. Kwik based this book on the 3Ms: Mindset, Motivation and Methods.
  • The bad: This is not a book to only be read, it must be applied. Also, heads up that Kiwk re-purposes many ideas from other master teachers (although he does package them nicely in his own way). Limitless is written quite colloquially and at times, I wished it was a bit more scientific.
  • Recommendation: Yes and I also recommend listening to his podcast, Kwik Brain.
  • Overall rating: 5/5 limitless brains
  • Goodreads link

The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing by Mira Jacob

  • Twitter summary: “At some point, the subconscious logic of this had spread to the rest of her life so that she rarely talked about things she had been deeply affected by.”
  • The good: Jacob writes a heartfelt story about familial relationships and loss. Set in two different time periods (Amina in high school and in the present being the late 1990s), Amina is sleepwalking through life but it unfolds when she returns home to uncover her family’s past. I related to this story as it is the mindset of the typical first-generation immigrant family. I appreciated Akhil’s unapologetic perspective, Kamala’s tenaciousness, Thomas’ ever present strength and Amina’s struggles with understanding her own feelings.
  • The bad: A bit slow in the beginning as I kept waiting for the shoe to drop. It finally did and then I was hooked.
  • Recommendation: Yes
  • Overall rating: 4/5 moments captured on camera
  • Goodreads link

Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  • Twitter summary: “I was nothing more than storm and fury as I stepped forward and Misha looked up at me. He rose.” — Chapter 34
  • The good: Armentrout is one of my favourite writers, after Maas of course. The first time I read* this book, I kept thinking the plot was familiar and it wasn’t until I was reintroduced to Roth (and his familiars) during the second half of the book, did I realize I knew of this fantasy world. I reread this book in 2 sittings over 2 days and looking forward to finding out what comes next in this series!
  • The bad: Although I am fully behind and rooting for Trinity, she was annoyingly stubborn at times and I sympathized with Misha.
  • Favourite character: Trinity — I felt her pain in my heart multiple times
  • Recommendation: Yes — I wanted to reread* this book because I could not remember the specifics and was not disappointed.
  • Overall rating: 4/5 starry nights
  • Goodreads link

*I first read the book in July 2019.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

  • Twitter summary: Jude desperately wants to find her place in the Faerie world so she does everything from lying to committing murder to stealing the crown.
  • The good: I was surprised by the turn in events in Jude’s relationships with both of her sisters — I’m curious to read how they will continue to evolve. Speaking of relationships, I am eating up the visible tension between Jude and Cardan.
  • The bad: It was a bit difficult to follow the plot at times (don’t read while distracted!) and had to power through details that did not capture my attention.
  • Favourite character: I can’t say that I have a favourite right now… toss up between Jude and Cardan at the moment.
  • Recommendation: Yes, I am intrigued enough to read Book 2.
  • Overall rating: 3/5 stolen crowns
  • Goodreads link